Tech for Palestine member Sarah Zad shares her reflections on our Barcelona Conference and the projects, people and community she encountered.

I am not from the tech world. A silver lining of an otherwise debilitating condition, I credit my OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) for falling down a technological rabbit hole. Years ago I started the process of sourcing ethical alternatives for anything I use in my day-to-day life, in an attempt to decrease my OCD-loops, reminding me that most essentials contribute to injustice. Fortunately, implementing such alternatives not only quiets my inner loops, but benefits people and the planet in ways that big tech and most corporations will never prioritise. For example, I have a Fairphone, bank with Triodos, and most recently, became a member and advocate of Tech for Palestine (T4P).

T4P is its own wonderland of technological alternatives which is equally as comforting for my OCD as it is urgently essential for people and the planet. The conference in Barcelona this year felt like an automatic safe haven. There was no need to internally question new faces on their stances on crimes against humanity or genocide. There was no need to pre-emptively rehearse responses to why "neutrality" or the "both sides" talking point is inadequate (I wish I had known about Conversation-Starters-Palestine sooner). Attendance at the conference was already a moral indication that the Valkiria Hub Space on 11 April, 2026, was an environment for like-minded, passionate individuals. We befriended one another, shared experiences and knowledge, and learned from one another as well as from the incredible panellists and workshop facilitators.

On arrival, we were gifted merchandise from DNA, the content agency who collaborate with UpScrolled: an activist’s dream app, unburdened by the shadowbanning across META apps and algorithmic prejudice. The merchandise included a tote bag and t-shirt as well as a simple how-to guide to share "Zines for Palestine", one of T4P's incubator projects. Merchandise design read "No War Por Favor" on one side - an ode to the conference's location and classic multilingual chant, and a digitised, poignant drawing of flowers emerging from a weapon on the other side - originally drawn by DNA co-founder Sargina's grandmother.

The welcome address was given by Apricot (facilitating the hiring of talent from the SWANA region) co-founder Azza Hararah, followed by T4P founder Paul Bigger, eloquently sharing T4P's role within Palestinian liberation: to utilise the tech community to scale the movement. T4P is the rebuttal to Zionism's reliance on spinning and propaganda by exposing the truth through humanitarian values.

The panels and workshops followed concurrently, and it was difficult throughout the day to make the choice between them, due to the caliber of the day's schedule. Fortunately, you can watch the first half of the day's panels here, and the second half here. I would like to echo Hani Chihabi, Thaura AI co-founder, who summed up the entire ethos and magic of T4P (during his reply about advice for other start-ups): "We have community. They (big tech founders) don't have that."

I have never been an advocate for AI, however, I am filled with pride that the ethical AI alternative was created by fellow Aleppians. I was thrilled to send a photo to my Dad of myself and brothers Hani and Said Chihabi, the founders of Thaura AI (revolution in Arabic). AI such as Chat GPT (Microsoft/Open AI) and Claude (Anthropic/Google) prioritise surveillance and data tracking. Thaura AI prioritises transparency and is roughly 93% more energy-efficient per response than typical Big Tech AI (emissions from data centres are estimated to reach up to 102.6 million tons of CO2 equivalent per year). I am familiar with the hypocrisy in my own sector, as sadly, no sector is immune, even human rights - meeting people who have also exposed or shone a light on their network's complicity and chose to take action by creating alternatives is truly inspiring and motivating.

In addition to Thaura AI and Upscrolled, I met and conversed with other creators behind the apps and tools I have recently been implementing into my professional and personal life, including Boycat (encouraging ethical spending) and Pink Thawra (exposing "pinkwashing" through the intersection of Palestinian and LGBTQ+ liberation). I also discovered and now use and support Ethicly (ethical digital advertising), tabs4palestine (a browsing extension which turns ad revenue into direct support for Palestine), Justice48 (a global network supporting legal action for Palestine), find a protest (listing global protests and solidarity events), and many more - further satiating my OCD! All of T4P's valuable incubator projects can be found here.

Throughout the day I attended three enriching workshops: "Intersecting Causes", "Exposing Complicity", and "AI and LLMs". I am pleased to share that by the end of the conference, I knew what LLMs were. Each workshop was an opportunity to collectively brainstorm ideas related to the workshop theme. The day concluded with presentations from attendees - the whole conference wrapped in a bow of the ideas throughout the day, now potential new additions to the T4P incubator. Notable ideas included "f*** up the banks" and its synonymous other half "f*** up the media" which aims to move money quickly on the ground through alternative payment platforms or NGO credit unions, and educating grassroots organisations and Palestinian creators on media literacy across all platforms. "AND" (Aman - Arabic for hope - Never Dies) aims to prioritise dignified storytelling by sharing positive news and updates from the movement, such as boycotting victories and making solidarity accessible.

Barcelona is a city where solidarity with the Palestinian people is evident through the number of flags waving off balconies, and etched into the walls of every other street through anti-Zionist graffiti. This city could not have been a more appropriate city for this conference, coinciding with the second Global Sumud Flotilla departure the following day, which many of us attended and celebrated. A bittersweet celebration in hindsight with the unsurprising yet horrifying updates from the flotilla's kidnappings by the Zionist entity - another reminder of the urgency of T4P's work. As of late May, all 50 boats had been intercepted: "(The Spring 2026 Global Sumud) will be remembered not only for what it attempted, but for what it documented, and for what that documentation demands."

Conference panellist and founder of the Amazon Labour Union, Chris Smalls, was on the Flotilla in 2025 (and subsequently abducted). During the panel, "The Great Exodus from Big Tech", Smalls reiterated based on his experience mobilising and unionising workers: "The power doesn't come from money, it comes from people."

As a technological neophyte, I was conscious that over the weekend I might have felt out of place amongst talented software developers and the creators behind some of my favourite ethical alternatives. However, I not only felt welcome, but realised that I also belong and have skills to offer. This is something I don't take for granted as a refugee-support worker - I am always heartened and hopeful when finding cultures of inclusion, which the T4P community epitomises. I look forward to contributing to the projects as a new member, and witnessing firsthand the evolution of the Palestinian liberation movement through T4P's committed mission and community.

Disclaimer: In this article I refer to my obsessive compulsive disorder in a whimsical way though I do not aim to trivialise the condition. OCD is incredibly nuanced, and mental loops are only one aspect of how the condition manifests (personally and for others). Finding alternatives for products I use (including technologies) which had previously caused me mental distress, has inexplicably helped me cope. I aim to encourage anyone with or without OCD to consider making similar adjustments, however accessing alternatives is not always feasible. Any and all alternatives moving away from big tech has a snowball effect, however, and I hope through this article, to exemplify the benefits of alternative technologies and the incredible work T4P is contributing towards Palestinian liberation.

To learn more about OCD or for anyone suffering with this condition, I recommend the interactive documentary escape game: She Could Fly, partnered with OCD Action:

She Could Fly: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2679650/She_Could_Fly_Documentary_Escape_Game/OCD Action Support: https://ocdaction.org.uk/i-need-support/

Tech for Palestine is an incubator for pro-Palestine advocacy. Have skills to share or a project in mind? Join us by becoming a member.